The Taiwan Ministry of National Defense stated that China does not have the capability to launch a full-scale invasion of Taiwan due to equipment shortages, but there are other options that threaten Taiwan, such as deploying advanced new weapons and inspecting foreign cargo ships, according to major foreign media reports on the 30th.
On the 26th, a soldier stood next to an anti-tank missile carrier during military training in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan. [Photo by AP Yonhap News]
Major foreign media obtained the annual threat assessment report submitted by the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense to the Legislative Yuan (Parliament) on the same day and reported accordingly.
In the report, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense stated that China continues to hone technologies such as joint command operations.
It added, "However, the use of tactics and strategies aimed at Taiwan is still limited by the natural geographical environment of the Taiwan Strait and insufficient landing equipment and logistical capabilities."
The Ministry of National Defense said, "China has not yet fully established the official combat capability for a comprehensive invasion of Taiwan," but noted that China is accelerating the development of a series of new weapons such as the H-20 bomber and supersonic missiles while testing new tactics and increasing the number of nuclear warheads.
It also added that shortly after President Lai Ching-te took office at the end of May, when China conducted military exercises around Taiwan, Chinese coastal patrol vessels for the first time carried out ship route blocking and inspection drills off the eastern coast.
It explained that the purpose of these exercises is to practice blockading Taiwan and cutting off communication with the outside world, and boarding foreign cargo ships is an option China may choose instead of open confrontation.
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